3daysofdesign

Exhibition: Shifting Objects – Shifting Values

The curatorial concept of the exhibition

For this project, Studio Jonathan Radetz collaborates with four journalists from Denmark and Germany: Susanne Holte and Johanna Nyborg (Denmark), as well as May-Britt Frank-Grosse and Markus Hieke (Germany), who each proposed various designers and studios. From their suggestions, Studio Jonathan Radetz selected eight candidates. The selected designers, working in product design and architecture, will meet with craftspeople in Copenhagen, nominated by the Frankfurt Chamber of Crafts, specialising in metalwork, stonemasonry, tailoring and carpentry.

Studio Jonathan Radetz acts as the curatorial driving force in this process – a “matchmaker” bringing together designers and craftspeople from Germany and Denmark in purposeful constellations to explore new forms of collaborative making. In line with the vision of WDC 2026, “Shifting Objects – Shifting Values” creates a platform where traditional techniques meet contemporary approaches, enabling the exploration of innovative ways of working together.

The selected designers and studios include: Studio œ, Studio Sarmīte, Marie Luise Stein and Haus Otto from Germany, as well as Tanja Kirst, Anker Bak, Form22 and Ræverk from Denmark.
They will collaborate with the craftspeople and workshops Steinkultivierer from Gernsheim, Volker Herglotz from Hattersheim, Dirk Velte from Oberursel and Korinna Bennecker from Frankfurt am Main.

A Glimpse into the Exhibition
The exhibition Shifting Objects – Shifting Values highlights the connections between the various participants: between Germany and Denmark, craft and design, object and photography. On site, visitors will discover the selected projects of the eight designers, alongside the working practices of the four craft businesses. The exhibition is complemented by photographs by Ingmar Kurth, documenting the intersections of craft and design and offering insight into the creative processes of the participants.

To make the synergy between design and craft tangible for visitors, a hands-on design intervention invites them to create their own objects using simple tools and methods. This low-threshold, participatory gesture by Studio Jonathan Radetz illustrates how craft and design, when combined, can become both a form of individual expression and a shared creative experience.

As part of this initial presentation in Copenhagen, the designers and craftspeople will work in four transnational teams to develop new concepts and designs for a democratic and sustainable future. The results of this collaboration will be showcased in a second exhibition in Frankfurt am Main as part of WDC 2026.